Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Video: Today's Awe-Inspiring Solar Eruption

Flares produce a burst of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to x-rays and gamma-rays.

This spectacular event, which started about 3:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time, lasted for about 3 hours. Don't worry, though. It was an M-class flare, which, believe it or not, is considered a medium-sized flare likely to cause only brief radio blackouts in Earth's polar regions.

This particular flare is accompanied by a proton storm also classified as "minor," that is, the radiation might have a minor impact on satellite operations, cause weak fluctuations in the power grid, and affect migratory animals. People in northern Michigan and Maine and points north can expect to be treated to beautiful aurora borealis displays, weather permitting.

3 comments:

Thanks for sharing, QR! I would not have known about it otherwise, because of the deluge of coverage about that gross congresscritter - it is hard to find out about much else going on lately! Very cool stuff.